,FEUDAL ,5GL& 7,P>T #d7 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,MORRIS 

,TEXT 3 

,S\RCE3 ,FEUDAL ,5GL&2 ,COMMONWEAL1 ,VOL #c1 ,NO4  #h#g1 #a ,SEPTEMB] #a#h#h#g1 P4 #b#i-#a2 
,TRANSCRIB$3 BY ,GRAHAM ,SEAMAN4 

,! COMPLETE FEUDALISM ( ! F\RTE5? C5TURY FELL1 AS SY/EMS 
ALWAYS FALL1 BY ITS [N CORRUPTION1 BY DEVELOPM5T ( ! SE$S ( 
*ANGE1 SOME :I* 9DE$ HAD LA9 ASLEEP DUR+ C5TURIES1 TO WAKE 
UP 9TO ACTIVITY LONG AFT] ! EV5TS :I* HAD CREAT$ !M W]E 
=GOTT54 

,! FEUDAL SY/EM WAS NATURALLY ONE ( OP5 W>2 & ! ALLIANCES1 
M>RIAGES1 & O!R DEAL+S FAMILY ) FAMILY1 MADE BY ! 
K+S & POT5TATES1 W]E ALWAYS LEAD+ !M 9TO W> BY GIV+ 
!M LEGAL CLAIMS1 OR AT LEA/ CLAIMS ?AT C\LD BE LEGALLY PLEAD$1 
TO ! DOMA9S ( O!R LORDS1 :O TOOK ADVANTAGE ( !IR BE+ ON 
! SPOT1 ( !IR /R5G? 9 M5 OR MONEY1 OR !IR POPUL>ITY ) 
! B>ONAGE1 TO GIVE IMM$IATE EFFECT TO !IR CLAIMS4 ,SU* A W> WAS 
?AT BY :I* ,$W>D ,I4 DREW ON ,5GL& ! 5MITY ( ! ,SCOT*2 
& SU* AGA9 WAS ! GREAT W> :I* ,$W>D ,I,I,I4 5T]$ 9TO 
) ,FRANCE4 ,Y\ MU/ NOT SUPPOSE ?AT !RE WAS ANY?+ 9 ?IS 
W> ( A NATIONAL1 F> LESS ( A RACE *>ACT]4 ,! LA/ S]IES ( W>S 
BE=E ?IS TIME ,I AM N[ SPEAK+ ( 9 :I* RACE FEEL+ C\NT$ 
= MU* WAS ! ,CRUSADES4 ,?IS ,FR5* W>1 ,I SAY1 WAS NEI!R 
NATIONAL1 RACIAL1 OR TRIBAL2 IT WAS ! PRIVATE BUS9ESS ( A LORD ( ! 
MANOR CLAIM+ :AT HE CONSID]$ HIS LEGAL RI<TS ( ANO!R LORD 
:O HAD1 AS HE ?\<T1 USURP$ !M2 & ?IS CLAIM HIS LOYAL 
FEUDATORIES W]E B\ND TO TAKE UP = HIM2 LOYALTY TO A FEUDAL SUP]IOR1 
NOT PATRIOTISM TO A C\NTRY1 WAS ! VIRTUE :I* ,$W>D ,I,I,I4'S 
SOLDI]S HAD TO (F] IF !Y HAD ANY CALL TO BE VIRTU\S 9 ?AT RESPECT4 
,?IS W> ONCE />T$ WAS H>D TO DROP1 P>TLY BECAUSE ( ! SUCCESS 
?AT ,$W>D HAD1 FALL+ AS HE DID ON ,FRANCE ) ! =CE ( A 
C\NTRY SO MU* MORE HOMOG5E\S ?AN IT2 & NO D\BT IT WAS A 
W> V]Y DISA/R\S TO BO? C\NTRIES1 & SO MAY BE RECKON$ AS 
AMONG ! CAUSES :I* BROKE UP ! FEUDAL SY/EM4 ,BUT ! REAL 
CAUSE LAY MU* DEEP] ?AN ?AT4 ,! SY/EM WAS NOT CAPABLE ( 
EXPANSION 9 PRODUCTION2 IT WAS1 9 FACT1 AS LONG AS ITS 9TEGRITY 
REMA9$ UNT\*$1 AN >MY F$ BY SLAVES1 :O C\LD NOT BE PROP]LY 
& CLOSELY EXPLOIT$2 ITS FREE M5 PROP] MI<T DO SOME?+ ELSE 9 
!IR LEISURE1 & SO PRODUCE >T & LIT]ATURE1 BUT !IR TRUE BUS9ESS 
AS MEMB]S ( A CONQU]+ TRIBE1 !IR CONC]T$ BUS9ESS1 WAS TO 
FI<T4 ,!RE WAS1 9DE$1 A FR+E ( PEOPLE BETWE5 ! S]F & ! 
FREE NOBLE :O PRODUC$ ! MATT]S ( H&ICRAFT :I* W]E NE$$ 
= ! LATT]1 BUT DELIB]ATELY1 & AS WE %\LD N[ ?9K1 WA/EFULLY2 
& AS !SE CRAFTSM5 & TRAD]S BEGAN TO GR[ 9TO IMPORTANCE 
& TO PU% !MSELVES1 AS !Y C\LD NOT HELP DO+1 9TO ! 
FEUDAL HI]>*Y1 AS !Y ACQUIR$ /ATUS1 SO ! SICKNESS ( ! FEUDAL 
SY/EM 9CREAS$ ON IT1 & ! %AD[ ( ! COM+ COMM]CIALISM 
FELL UPON IT4 ,?AT ANY SET ( PEOPLE :O C\LD CLAIM TO BE O!R ?AN 
! PROP]TY ( FREE M5 %\LD NOT HAVE DEF9ITE RI<TS DIFF]5TIAT$ 
%>PLY FROM ?OSE ( O!R GR\PS1 WAS AN IDEA ?AT DID NOT OCCUR TO 
! ,MIDDLE ,AGES2 !RE=E1 AS SOON AS M5 CAME 9TO EXI/5CE ?AT 
W]E NOT S]FS & W]E NOT NOBLES1 !Y HAD TO /RUGGLE = /ATUS BY 
ORGANIZ+ !MSELVES 9TO ASSOCIATIONS ?AT %\LD COME TO BE ACKN[L$G$ 
MEMB]S ( ! GREAT FEUDAL HI]>*Y2 = 9DEF9ITE & NEGATIVE 
FRE$OM WAS NOT ALL[$ TO ANY P]SON 9 ?OSE DAYS2 IF Y\ HAD 
NOT /ATUS Y\ DID NOT EXI/ EXCEPT AS AN \TLAW4 ,?IS IS1 BRIEFLY 
SPEAK+1 ! MOTIVE P[] ( NECESSITY ?AT LAY BEH9D ! /RUGGLE 
( ! T[N CORPORATIONS & CRAFT GILDS TO BE FREE1 A /RUGGLE :I*1 
?\< IT WAS TO RESULT 9 ! BREAK+ UP ( ! M$IEVAL HI]>*Y1 
BEGAN BY AN APPE>ANCE ( /R5G!N+ IT BY ADD+ TO ITS MEMB]S1 
9CREAS+ ITS P[] ( PRODUCTION1 & SO MAK+ IT MORE /ABLE4 
,AB\T ?IS /RUGGLE1 & ! K9D ( LIFE :I* ACCOMPANI$ IT1 ,I MAY 
HAVE TO WRITE ANO!R TIME1 & SO WILL NOT SAY MORE AB\T IT H]E4 
,EXCEPT ?IS1 ?AT IT WAS MU* FUR!R$ BY ! *ANGE ?AT GRADUALLY 
TOOK PLACE BETWE5 ! L&LORDS & ! CLASS ON :OM ALL SOCIETY 
RE/$1 ! S]FS4 ,!SE AT FIR/ W]E M5 :O HAD NO MORE RI<TS 
?AN *ATTEL-SLAVES HAD1 EXCEPT ?AT MO/LY1 AS P>T ( ! /OCK ( ! 
MANOR1 !Y C\LD NOT BE SOLD (F IT2 !Y HAD TO DO ALL ! WORK ( 
! MANOR1 & TO E>N !IR [N LIVELIHOOD (F IT AS !Y BE/ C\LD4 
,BUT AS ! P[] ( PRODUCTION 9CREAS$1 [+ TO BETT] ME?ODS ( 
WORK+1 & AS ! C\NTRY GOT TO BE MORE SETTL$1 !IR TASK-WORK 
BECAME EASI] ( P]=MANCE & !IR [N L& MORE PRODUCTIVE TO 
!M2 & ?AT T5D5CY TO ! DEF9ITION & DIFF]5TIATION ( RI<TS1 
MOREOV]1 WAS AT WORK = !IR B5EFIT1 & ! CU/OM ( ! MANOR 
DEF9$ :AT !IR S]VICES W]E1 & !Y BEGAN TO ACQUIRE RI<TS4 
,FROM ?AT TIME !Y CEAS$ TO BE PURE S]FS1 & BEGAN TO T5D T[>DS 
BECOM+ T5ANTS1 AT FIR/ PAY+ PURELY & SIMPLY S]VICE = 
!IR HOLD+S1 BUT GRADUALLY COMMUT+ ?AT S]VICE = F9ES & 
MONEY PAYM5T -- = R5T1 9 %ORT4 

,T[>DS ! CLOSE ( ! F\RTE5? C5TURY1 AFT] ! C\NTRY HAD 
BE5 DEPOPULAT$ BY ! ,BLACK ,DEA?1 & IMPOV]I%$ BY ! LONG 
W>1 ! FEUDAL LORDS ( !SE COPYHOLD]S & T5ANTS BEGAN TO REGRET 
! SLACKNESS ) :I* !IR PR$ECESSORS HAD EXPLOIT$ !IR PROP]TY1 
! S]FS1 & TO CONSID] ?AT UND] ! NEW COMM]CIAL LI<T :I* 
HAD BEGUN TO DAWN UPON !M !Y C\LD DO IT MU* BETT] IF !Y ONLY 
HAD !IR PROP]TY A LITTLE MORE 9 H&2 BUT IT WAS TOO LATE1 = !IR 
PROP]TY HAD ACQUIR$ RI<TS1 & !RE)AL HAD GOT /RANGE VISIONS 
9TO !IR HEADS ( A TIME MU* BETT] ?AN ?AT 9 :I* !Y LIV$1 
:5 EV5 ?OSE RI<TS %\LD BE SUPPLANT$ BY A CONDITION ( ?+S 
9 :I* ! ASS]TION ( RI<TS = ANY ONE SET ( M5 %\LD NO 
LONG] BE NE$$1 S9CE ALL M5 %\LD BE FREE TO 5JOY ! FRUITS ( 
!IR [N LABOR4 ,( ?AT CAME ! GREAT EPISODE ( ! ,PEASANTS' 
,W>1 L$ BY M5 LIKE ,WAT ,TYL]1 ,JACK ,/RAW1 & ,JOHN ,BALL1 :O 
9DE$1 ) ?OSE !Y L$1 SUFF]$ = D>+ TO BE BE=E !IR 
TIME1 = ! REVOLT WAS PUT D[N ) CRUELTY WOR?Y ( AN ,IRI% 
L&LORD OR A SWEAT+ CAPITALI/ ( ! PRES5T DAY2 BUT1 NEV]!LESS1 
S]FDOM CAME TO AN 5D 9 ,5GL&1 IF NOT BECAUSE ( ! REVOLT1 YET 
BECAUSE ( ! EV5TS ?AT MADE IT1 & !REBY A DEA?-W\ND WAS 
9FLICT$ ON ! FEUDAL SY/EM4 ,FROM ?AT TIME ONW>D ! C\NTRY1 
PASS+ ?R\< ! V>I\S TR\BLES ( A NEW ,FR5* W> ( ,H5RY ,V?'S 
TIME1 & ! ,W> ( ! ,ROSES1 DID NOT HE$ !SE FACTION FI<TS 
MU*4 ,! WORKM5 GREW 9 PROSP]ITY1 BUT ALSO !Y BEGAN TO RISE 
9TO A NEW CLASS1 & =M A CLASS UND]NEA? ! OLD WORK+ M54 
& TO LAY ! F\NDATIONS ( CAPITALI/IC PRODUCTION4 ,5GL& GOT 
C>RI$ 9TO ! RIS+ CURR5T ( COMM]CIALISM1 & ! RI* M5 & 
L&LORDS TO TURN !IR ATT5TION TO ! PRODUCTION ( PR(IT 9/EAD ( 
! PRODUCTION ( LIVELIHOOD2 ! GILDLESS J\RNEYMAN & ! L&LESS 
LABOR] SL[LY CAME 9TO EXI/5CE2 ! L&LORD GOT RID ( HIS 
T5ANTS ALL HE C\LD1 TURN$ TILLAGE 9TO PA/URE1 & SWEAT$ ! 
PA/URES TO DEA? 9 HIS EAG]NESS = WOOL1 :I* = HIM MEANT 
MONEY & ! BRE$+ ( MONEY2 TILL AT LA/ ! PLACE ( ! S]F1 
W2:I* HAD /OOD EMPTY1 AS IT W]E1 DUR+ A C]TA9 TRANSITION P]IOD1 
DUR+ :I* ! NON-CAPITALI/IC PRODUCTION WAS EXP&+ UP TO ITS 
UTMO/ LIMIT1 WAS FILL$ BY ! PROLET>IAN WORK+ = ! S]VICE ( A 
MA/] 9 A NEW FA%ION1 A FA%ION :I* EXPLOIT$ & 7WOE WOR? 
! :ILE67 EXPLOITS HIM V]Y MU* MORE COMPLETELY ?AN ! CU/OMS 
( ! MANOR ( ! FEUDAL P]IOD4 ,I HOPE TO BE ABLE H]EAFT] TO GO 
9TO ! QUE/ION ( ! LIFE & PRODUCTION ( ! WORKMAN ( ! 
E>LI] P]IOD4 ,AT PRES5T ,I WILL MAKE AN 5D BY SAY+ ?AT ! 
FEUDAL S]F WORK$ H>D1 & LIV$ POORLY1 & PRODUC$ A R\< 
LIVELIHOOD = HIS MA/]2 :]EAS ! MOD]N WORKMAN1 WORK+ H>D] 
/ILL1 & LIV+ LITTLE IF ANY BETT] ?AN ! S]F1 PRODUCES = HIS 
MA/] A /ATE ( LUXURY ( :I* ! OLD LORD ( ! MANOR NEV] 
DREAM$4 ,! WORKMAN'S P[]S ( PRODUCTION >E MULTIPLI$ A 
?\S&FOLD2 HIS [N LIVELIHOOD REMA9S PRETTY MU* :AT IT 
WAS4 ,! BALANCE GOES TO HIS MA/] & ! CR[D ( USELESS1 
DRAGGLE-TAIL$ KNAVES & FOOLS :O P&] TO HIS IDIOTIC %AM DESIRES1 & 
:O1 UND] ! PRET5TI\S TITLE ( ! 9TELLECTUAL P>T ( ! MIDDLE-CLASSES1 
HAVE 9 !IR TURN TAK5 ! PLACE ( ! M$IEVAL JE/]4 
,TRULY1 IF ! ,POSITIVI/ MOTTO1 0,LIVE = O!RS10 BE TAK5 9 />K 
LIT]ALITY ! MOD]N WORKMAN %\LD BE A GOOD & WISE MAN 
S9CE HE HAS NO *ANCE ( LIV+ = HIMSELF6 ,& YET1 ,I WI% HE 
W]E WIS] /ILL2 WISE 5\< TO MAKE AN 5D ( ! PREA*+ ( 
0LIVE ON O!RS10 :I* IS ! MOTTO SET =? BY COMM]CIALISM TO 
H] FAVOR$ *ILDR54 

,YET 9 ONE ?+1 ! MOD]N PROLET>IAN HAS AN ADVANTAGE OV] ! 
M$IEVAL S]F1 & ?AT ADVANTAGE IS A WORLD 9 ITSELF4 ,MANY A 
C5TURY LAY BETWE5 ! S]F & SUCCESSFUL REVOLT1 & ?\< HE 
TRI$ IT MANY A TIME & NEV] LO/ HE>T1 YET ! COM+ *ANGE 
:I* HIS M>TYRDOM HELP$ ON WAS NOT TO BE = HIM YET1 BUT = ! 
NEW MA/]S ( HIS SUCCESSORS4 ,) US IT IS DIFF]5T4 ,A FEW YE>S 
( WE>ISOME /RUGGLE AGA9/ APA?Y & IGNORANCE2 A YE> OR TWO 
( GR[+ HOPE -- & !N :O KN[S8 ,P]HAPS A FEW MON?S1 OR 
P]HAPS A FEW DAYS ( ! OP5 /RUGGLE ) BRUTE =CE1 ) ! 
MASK (F ITS FACE1 & ! SWORD 9 ITS H&1 & !N WE >E OV] ! 
B>4 ,:O KN[S1 ,I SAY8 ,YET ?IS WE KN[1 ?AT AHEAD ( US1 ) 
NO?+ BETWIXT EXCEPT SU* 9CID5TS AS >E NECESS>Y TO ITS DEVELOPM5T1 
LIES ! 9EVITABLE SOCIAL REVOLUTION1 :I* WILL BR+ AB\T ! 
5D ( MA/]Y & ! TRIUMPH ( FELL[%IP4 

,WILLIAM ,MORRIS4 

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,FEBRU>Y #b#b1 #bba 3 ,FEUDAL ,5GL& 7,P>T #d7 -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bbb 3 ,FEUDAL ,5GL& 7,P>T #d7 -- ,UPDAT$4 

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